Apparatus for inspecting and sorting articles

Abstract

The invention is a device for sorting food products such as vegetables or fruit in accordance with their size, weight, and color or the presence of defects on them. In accordance with the device of the invention, a conveyor in the form of a plurality of rotatable rollers is employed for supporting the articles to be inspected and sorted. The articles are passed through an inspection zone where the articles are scanned in accordance with the sorting criteria of the apparatus. The articles are then sorted in accordance with in response to the determinations made at the inspection zone.

We claim: 
     
       1. Apparatus for sorting articles, which apparatus comprises a first endless conveyor comprising a plurality of rollers arranged with their axes transverse to the direction of motion of the first conveyor, said first conveyor being arranged to carry articles to be sorted. means for causing the first conveyor to move through an inspection region,   means for inspecting articles on the conveyor in the inspection region,   means for causing rotation of the rollers in the inspection region, thereby to cause rotation of the articles in the inspection region,   means for conveying said articles to a sorting zone provided with at least one bank of actuators for depositing respective ones of the articles,   means responsive to said inspecting means for controlling said actuators,   a second endless conveyor, having a plurality of carriers for the articles, the carriers being pivotally mounted for movement with the second conveyor, on pivot axes transverse to the direction of motion of the second conveyor, a plurality of the said carriers being provided on each said pivot axis, and the pivot axes of the carriers being spaced apart, and means for causing part of the second conveyor to move together with the first conveyor such that a coaxially pivoted plurality of said carriers are located between a respective pair of rollers of said first conveyor.   wherein the path of the first and second conveyors is such as to cause the carriers to lift the articles from between the respective pair of rollers, and for the second conveyor alone to convey the said articles to said sorting zone, and wherein actuation of said actuators moves respective ones of said carriers to deposit the articles carried therein.   
     
     
       2. Apparatus according to claim 1, wherein a plurality of said banks of actuators are provided, spaced along the sorting zone in the direction of movement of the second conveyor. 
     
     
       3. Apparatus according to claim 2, wherein a support surface is provided to support the said carriers during their movement through the sorting zone, and wherein the said actuators are arranged to remove a support from the respective carrier. 
     
     
       4. Apparatus according to claim 3, wherein each said bank of actuators is arranged to open and close a respective opening in said support surface, and wherein each said bank of actuators comprises a bank of individually pivotable fingers. 
     
     
       5. Apparatus according to claim 3, wherein each said bank of actuators is arranged to open and close a respective opening in said support surface, each said opening being defined between first and second transversely extending edges, said first transversely extending edge being spaced upstream of said second transversely extending edge relative to the direction of motion of the second conveyor, and wherein each said bank of actuators comprises a flap pivotally mounted about said first transversely extending edge of the opening, and a co-operating bank of fingers arranged for reciprocable movement in a direction substantially parallel to the plane of said support surfaces. 
     
     
       6. Apparatus according to claim 1, claim 2 or claim 3, wherein the sorting zone also comprises a plurality of load cells spaced across the width of the second conveyor and arranged such that the carriers are caused to pass over the load cells to enable the articles to be weighed. 
     
     
       7. Apparatus according to claim 1, claim 2, or claim 3, wherein the rollers of said first conveyor are spaced to define a respective gap between each adjacent pair of rollers, and wherein said rollers are provided with a plurality of grooves. 
     
     
       8. Apparatus according to claim 1, claim 2, or claim 3, wherein said means for causing rotation of the rollers in the inspection region comprises a fixed support over which the rollers pass. 
     
     
       9. Apparatus according to claim 1, further comprising a support surface arranged to support said carriers during their movement through the sorting zone, a plurality of openings being provided in said support surface spaced along the sorting zone in the direction of movement of the second conveyor, and wherein a plurality of said banks of actuators are provided, each said bank of actuators being associated with a respective opening in said support surface. 
     
     
       10. Apparatus according to claim 1, wherein the rollers of said first conveyor are spaced to define a respective gap between each adjacent pair of rollers, wherein said inspecting means comprises a raster scan camera, and wherein said raster scan camera is arranged to scan the articles along one said gap between the rollers on the first conveyor, said raster scan camera being arranged to scan along two bands of said roller gap, and wherein signal values at corresponding points of the two bands are combined to give an average value or sum. 
     
     
       11. Apparatus for carrying and enabling deposit of articles, said apparatus comprising a plurality of carriers for said articles, means for moving the carriers over a support surface, the carriers being pivotally mounted on pivot axes extending transversely to the direction of movement of the carriers, at least one opening in said support surface, defined between first and second transversely extending edges, said first said edge being spaced upstream of said second said edge relative to the direction of movement of the carriers, and first and second co-operable means arranged to open and close said opening, wherein, during their movement thereover, the support surface is arranged to support the carriers, and the opening of said opening removes support from one or more respective carriers which are pivoted thereby to deposit any articles carried therein, wherein said first and second cooperable means comprises at least one flap pivotally mounted about said first transversely extending edge of said opening and a co-operating bank of finger, the fingers of said bank being arranged for reciprocating movement in a direction substantially parallel to the plane of said support surface. 
     
     
       12. Apparatus according to claim 11, wherein each said carrier comprises an elongate leg portion having first and second ends, first and second arms proximate the second end of the leg portion, the arms extending laterally of said leg portion on either side thereof, and a pivot support portion at the first end of the leg portion, wherein a respective pivot axis extends through the pivot support portion of each said carrier. 
     
     
       13. Apparatus according to claim 12, wherein said means for moving said carriers comprises a plurality of substantially parallel extending shafts, each said shaft extending transversely to the direction of movement of the carriers, and each said shaft supporting a plurality of said carriers, and wherein a plurality of support brackets are provided, each said support bracket pivotally connecting one of said carriers to one of said shafts. 
     
     
       14. Apparatus according to claim 13, wherein each said support bracket has a bore extending therethrough through which a respective one of said shafts extends, and wherein each said support bracket has a depending carrier support arm which is pivotally connected to the pivot support portion of a respective carrier. 
     
     
       15. Apparatus for carrying and enabling deposit of articles, said apparatus comprising a plurality of carriers for said articles, means for moving the carriers over a support surface, the carriers being pivotally mounted on pivot axes extending transversely to the direction of movement of the carriers, at least one opening in said support defined between first and second transversely extending edges, said first edge being spaced upstream of said second edge relative to the direction of movement of the carriers, and means arranged to open and close said opening, wherein, during their movement thereover, the support surface is arranged to support the carriers, and the opening of said opening removes support from one or more respective carriers which are pivoted thereby to deposit any articles carried therein, wherein said means for opening said opening comprises a plurality of flaps each pivotally mounted about said second transversely extending edge of said opening, and actuator means for pivoting each flap between a closed position in which the flap extends between said first and second edges of the opening, and a lowered position in which the flap extends downwardly from said second edge, wherein each said carrier comprises an elongate leg portion having first and second ends, first and second arms proximate the second end of the leg portion, the arms extending laterally of said leg portion on either side thereof, and a pivot support portion at the first end of the leg portion, wherein a respective pivot axis extends through the pivot support portion of each said carrier.